Family’s dream ‘shattered’ by driver’s double-fatal crash during drug-fuelled joy ride

A drugged-up driver was doing high speeds on the wrong side of the road before a head-on crash that killed two people and left the other car a wreck.

The devastated wife of a man killed in a horrifying double-fatal north of Brisbane says her family’s Australian dream was shattered because of a driver’s drug-fuelled joy ride.

On the fateful night of October 15 last year, Shahid Islam had just finished cleaning and preparing his first home in Griffin, ready to move in with his wife and young child in the week forthcoming.

That idyllic dream was shattered in the space of several seconds as the IT worker made his way home.

A stolen car being driven on the wrong side of the road by Jordan Joseph Cubby ploughed into Mr Islam’s sedan along Gympie Arterial Rd at Bald Hills, just before midnight.

High on a cocktail of drugs, Jordan Joseph Cubby was driving more than 140kmh and crossing into the wrong lane on the night of his horrifying crash north of Brisbane.

The crash killed Mr Islam and a male passenger in Cubby’s car and seriously injured another woman also in the car with Cubby.

On Monday, more than a year after the shocking crash, Cubby fronted Brisbane Supreme Court to learn his fate for the fatal crash.

He pleaded guilty to 16 charges, including manslaughter, dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, assaulting a police officer and evasion.

Family members and supporters wiped away tears as the court was told of how the tragedy unfolded.

On the night of October 15, Cubby, then 28, was spotted by police driving a Mitsubishi 4WD that had been stolen from a Toowoomba address the night before.

Two others, John William Weatherall and Shantel Lucas, were also in the 4WD at the time.

Shahid Islam and his wife, Ferdousi Islam, were due to move into their new home together until a fatal crash took Mr Islam’s life as he drove back to Brisbane on October 15, 2019.

At the time, Cubby was high on a cocktail of amphetamines and methylamphetamine and was disqualified from driving but still drove at speeds of up to 160kmh.

Police had to abandon their pursuit as Cubby was driving so fast – likely reaching speeds of 160kmh – and drifting onto the wrong side of the road.

Justice Elizabeth said Ms Lucas pleaded for Cubby to stop but he refused out of fear he would be caught.

Just after 11.56pm, Cubby was still driving on the wrong side of the road when he collided with Mr Islam’s Mazda hatchback, crumbling it into half its size.

Mr Islam was killed instantly.

Mr Weatherall suffered serious head and chest injuries and died shortly afterwards.

John William Weatherall was a passenger in Cubby’s car and died in the crash on Gympie Arterial Rd.

Ms Lucas was critically injured and spent more than a month in hospital recovering.

Even after the serious crash, Cubby kicked his way out of the vehicle, threatening officers and spitting blood in the face of a female officer as he tried to flee.

He stood on the body of Mr Weatherall while trying to get out of the smashed-up car.

Shantel Lucas was the rear passenger in the stolen car. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Justice Wilson said he had to be sedated by paramedics to be safely taken to hospital.

The court was told in the days prior to the crash, Cubby had been involved in several fuel-drive offs and a burglary across southwest Queensland.

Mr Islam’s family did not attend Monday’s sentencing but in her victim impact statement, his wife Ferdousi said Cubby’s joy ride had created “a nightmare” for her family.

“They worked hard to build their Australian dream of having a better life … you have shattered this,” Judge Wilson said.

In sentencing Cubby to fourteen-and-a-half years’ jail, she took into account his troubled upbringing and drug abuse since a young age.

Once a promising rugby league player, the court was told his career was derailed by violence he witnessed and experienced growing up.

A psychologist found he suffered from chronic anxiety and depression and had a below-average IQ.

Judge Wilson noted he had expressed genuine remorse after learning of the consequences of his actions.

Cubby will be eligible for parole in September 2030.

He was also disqualified absolutely from holding a driver’s licence.